News

ARRL CEO Urges New York City-Area Hams to Join Him as Marathon Volunteer

09/01/2016

ARRL CEO Tom Gallagher, NY2RF — a New York City Marathon volunteer since 1981 — is urging radio amateurs in the New York metropolitan area to join him on the race course this fall to, as he put it, “participate in one of the world’s most important public service events.”

On Sunday, November 6, Amateur Radio volunteers will provide communication support for the 46th running of the TCS New York City Marathon. The Marathon starts near the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge on Staten Island and continues through Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx before finishing 26.2 miles later in Manhattan's Central Park. Amateur Radio volunteers provide emergency medical and logistics communication support throughout the course, working in concert with the New York Police Department and Fire Department of New York Emergency Medical Services (EMS) to aid the more than 50,000 athletes expected to take part this year.

“Additional ham radio operators are still needed to staff some mile points along the course as well as some post-finish locations inside Central Park,” said TCS NYC Marathon Amateur Radio Communications Director Deborah Kerr, KC2GPV.

Radio amateurs interested in serving the 2016 TCS New York City Marathon should register online.

The New York City Marathon originated in 1970 as a low-budget event confined to Central Park. That first marathon attracted 127 entrants. In 1976 — the US Bicentennial Year — the marathon was expanded to encompass the city’s five boroughs.

For many years, Steve Mendelsohn, W2ML (SK), served as the Marathon’s communications director, overseeing the approximately 400 ham radio volunteers supporting race communications. Inducted into the CQ Amateur Radio Hall of Fame a week before he died in 2012, Mendelsohn, had served as ARRL Hudson Division Director and as ARRL First Vice President.

“I feel as though I have been given this amazing opportunity to continue Steve's legacy and continue to give other ham the opportunity to enjoy an event that I hope will continue in the years to come,” Kerr said.